Ancients Behaving Badly

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All Rise...

The last time Judge Kent Dixon saw ancients behaving badly, it was open bar night at the senior center.

The Charge

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great
men are almost always bad men."—Lord Acton, 1887

The Case

Throughout history, there have been great figures who have not only shaped
events in their own times, but have also left a legacy that lasts into modern
times. It seems for every great leader and historical figure who brought about
positive change in the world and shaped events for the better, there are as many
or more infamous historical figures whose single-minded ambitions and brutality
all but defied human comprehension.

A joint Canadian and British production, Ancients Behaving Badly
focuses its attention on eight of the most notable and heinous figures our world
has ever known. Before Hitler, Stalin, and Hussein and other more contemporary
figures left their black marks on the history books, Caligula, Attila the Hun,
Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, Cleopatra, Hannibal, Genghis Khan, and Nero
committed atrocities that secured their places as some of the most recognizable
names in history.

All eight episodes of Ancients Behaving Badly are included with this
release, spread across two discs as follows:

Each episode of the series follows the same basic path, first examining the
childhood events that may have pre-determined the future course. From there,
psychiatrists, historians and other experts add historical context, forensic and
archaeological evidence, and a whole range of other interesting tidbits to paint
a more complete picture. The "Behaving
Badly psychograph" is also used to map the personalities of each of the
series' notorious personalities, comparing them both against one another, and
against more contemporary villains such as members of Adolph Hitler's trusted
inner circle, drug lords, and other baddies.

Ancients Behaving Badly is great stuff for history buffs, but the
content is certainly not for all ages. Not only would younger children be bored
by much of the "talking head" content, they would likely also be
scared by much of the graphic imagery and detailed descriptions of some of the
more nasty acts that were committed by the series' subjects. Despite being a
History major in university and my familiarity with many of the events that are
referenced in the content of each episode, there was still an above average
amount of new information to keep my interest. Most notably, the Roman Empire
served as the common denominator of many of the stories, reinforcing the impact
the ancient Romans had, both during their own time, and even to this day.

The series does an above average job of pulling together CG images,
contemporary footage and interviews, graphic novel-style re-enactments and other
content into solid 44-minute packages. Aside from possibly missing the
opportunity to add some atmospheric sound and effects, the 2.0 audio mix suits
the documentary approach just fine. Not that I've got any concrete suggestions
to offer in the way of extra features, but there are none of any kind included
with this release.

The Verdict

For all the military, technological, and artistic innovations that resulted
from their influence and cultures, the eight leaders profiled in Ancients
Behaving Badly were narcissistic, power hungry, and disturbed in many ways.
While not ideal for a relaxing evening's entertainment, and more than a little
intense for watching more than one episode at a time, the series delivers an
interesting and comprehensive profile of eight legendary historical figures.